Former GW Graham QB1 Bentley Thomas (right) holds the bag for a Sardis Falcon during a spring camp drill Tuesday afternoon at Sardis secondary school. Several current and former GWG players are helping out at Falcon practices and the majority of the Sardis coaching staff, including head coach Adam Smith, has migrated over from the successful GWG program. ERIC J. WELSH/ THE PROGRESS

Sardis Falcons football hits the field for spring camp

Now about 3 months from their debut, the inexperienced Falcons are being drilled on fundamentals.

It’s been around 15 months since the announcement of a new high school football team coming to Sardis secondary school, and head coach Adam Smith has been stuck in hurry-up-and-wait mode since then.

But this week, he finally got his team on the field for spring camp, and a controlled scrimmage with Sullivan Heights is just one week away.

From hurry-up-and-wait to hurry up, Smith and his coaches now have three months to get the Falcons ready for the start of their first season.

“When I sit back, it went fast, but all the paperwork and meetings made it feel like it dragged on a bit,” Smith said. “I understand all that stuff needed to be done, but I like being out here on the field.

“It couldn’t have come quick enough, put it that way.”

The Falcons will launch as a varsity team only in year one, with a plan to add a junior varsity team in year two.

Spring camp started Monday with 33 players fitted for helmets and pads.

There were 30 bodies on the practice field Tuesday, with Smith hoping to add a few more between now and September.

“We wanted to be over 30 for spring camp, so I’m happy with that, and we hope to be up to 40 by the time we start in September,” Smith said. “The buzz in the school is getting bigger now. The kids knew it was coming and, like I hoped would happen, we are gaining kids every time we are out on the field and they see us doing stuff.”

Smith’s roster is short on football experience, so spring camp is focusing on fundamentals and team culture, with the team mantra of ‘Falcon Tough.’

“We’re going to be green coming into our early games,” Smith admitted. “But as the year goes on you’ll see us grow.

“I know we’re going to be where we want to be by mid-season for sure.”